SEATTLE — EPA announced the release of the final cleanup plan for the Lower Duwamish Waterway Superfund site, according to a press release.

The Superfund site is a major industrial waterway including the mouth of the Duwamish River on the south end of Elliot Bay, stated the release.

The Washington State Department of Ecology, as part of the cleanup plan, will continue leading source control efforts reducing incoming pollution to the Duwamish River and support EPA in-waterway cleanup, reported the release.

The cleanup plan will remove 90 percent of the pollution in the river with active cleanup of 177 acres by capping, dredging and other methods, and the remaining lower levels of contamination will be addressed by the Duwamish River’s natural processes, bringing in clean sediments to cover the contamination, continued the release.

The Superfund site’s cleanup is estimated to cost $342 million and projected to take around 17 years to complete, with seven years of active cleanup and 10 years of natural recovery, noted the release.

“This Duwamish serves as the region’s industrial backbone and it is home to tribes and vibrant communities,” said EPA Region 10 Regional Administrator Dennis McLerran. “Today we celebrate the river’s history and look to a healthier future for the Duwamish with a cleanup plan that provides habitat, recreation and a future of economic vitality.”

Upcoming Events

Water Technology provides professionals charged with managing industrial water and wastewater with news, regulation updates, technology-based content, tips and best practices for the intelligent use and reuse of this valuable resource.